In the present study, attempts were made to analyze the response of the germination percentage of kenaf (
Hibiscus cannabinus L.var. Everglades 41) to different light and temperature conditions as well as concentrations of solutions of NaCl, CaCl
2, KCl or Na
2SO
4. Germination percentages were recorded every day up to 7 days. Treatments were as follows, temperature treatment: 35, 30, 25, 20, 15 and 10°C under 24h dark, salinity treatment: 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200mM of NaCl, CaCl
2, KCl or Na
2SO
4 at 25°C. As a result, the germination percentages of kenaf seeds were exceeded 70% of at 20, 25, 30 and 35°C and low at 15°C, and germination did not occur at 10°C. Higher germination percentages were observed for each NaCl concentration at 25°C than in any other temperature treatments. Even in the 200mM treatment, the value was 42.3%. Germination percentages in the KCl treatments were higher than those in the NaCl treatments at 25°C. Germination percentages in the 25, 50 and 75mM CaCl
2 treatments and 25mM Na
2SO
4 tended to be higher than those in the control (0mM). It was estimated that K
+, Ca
2+ and SO
42- led to the increase of germination, while Na
+ and Cl
- inhibited it. Effects of salty solution on the growth of kenaf were investigated. Kenaf plants were cultivated in 1/2000a Wagner pots containing sandy soil with salt treatment solutions (0, 50, 100 and 167mM NaCl). Increase of salt concentration affected and decreased the plant length, number of nods, fresh weight and dry weight. Sodium content of leaves was higher than that of stems and roots. Crude protein content in each part of kenaf was higher at high concentrations of NaCl treatment at the final harvest.
View full abstract